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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29056740">Mushroom Clouds</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlitraven14/pseuds/moonlitraven14'>moonlitraven14</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst and Tragedy, Dead TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Gen, Piglin Hybrid Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Toby Smith | Tubbo-centric, Villain Jack Manifold, Villain Niki | Nihachu, Wilbur Soot and Technoblade and TommyInnit are Siblings, Winged Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), no beta we die like l'manburg</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 10:56:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,834</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29056740</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlitraven14/pseuds/moonlitraven14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Today’s the day, Jack Manifold,” Tubbo announced, looking out over the water with a proud smile. After days of work, of inventing and preparation, it was finally time to test the fruits of his labor.</p>
<p>Today was the day that Tubbo would test out his nukes for the very first time, a symbol of power that he can use in order to make sure the manipulation and tragedy that befell L'Manburg never happens again.</p>
<p>Who would've thought that everything would go so horribly wrong?</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>An alternative ending to the January 26th stream.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>No Romantic Relationship(s), Toby Smith | Tubbo &amp; TommyInnit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>289</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Mushroom Clouds</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Today’s the day, Jack Manifold,” Tubbo announced, looking out over the water with a proud smile. After days of work, of inventing and preparation, it was finally time to test the fruits of his labor. There was a slight hiccup that morning that required Tubbo to quickly whip up new keycards, but now those are done so they could begin with no further delays.</p>
<p>Jack Manifold nodded alongside him, furiously typing away on his communicator. <i> Strange, he’s been texting a lot more this morning for some reason </i>, Tubbo observed, watching his friend from the side. Finished, he turns to Tubbo and gave him a wide smile. “Today is the day, Tubbo. Today is a big, big day.”</p>
<p>As the two of them continued their preparations, including making a pathway to the launch platform, Tubbo began to think about the destruction that will occur soon. He thought about his friends and, well, he couldn’t exactly call some of them enemies. He knows why some people made the choices they did, like Techno and Philza, but there are some of those who he is still uncertain about, like his former minute man, Ranboo. </p>
<p>Despite everything that happened, he didn’t want to harm anyone with this test, which is why he chose an uninhabited snow forest biome. Still, he felt the need to warn people of the test, to make sure no one got too close on accident and end up getting canon killed. He really didn’t want that on his conscious.</p>
<p>When Tubbo brought this up with Jack, he noticed the man’s hesitation in agreeing with the plan. Clenched jaw, tense shoulders, tightened grip on his pants, the tell-tale signs of the man’s reluctance. Still, he agreed, with the condition to start the warning at ten minutes til launch, to give time for people to steer clear.</p>
<p>The day continued on, Tubbo speaking briefly with Foolish who was fishing nearby, while Jack went off to shoo away a lurking Nikki. He was gone for quite a bit, but eventually returned with a bright smile.</p>
<p>As the sun set, Tubbo decided it was time to begin the test, walking off to grab the missile for set up. Meanwhile, his friend stayed by his side, making sure no mobs came close to them. Didn’t want to risk the nuke going off prematurely and killing them both, you know.</p>
<p>Once set up, Tubbo began final systems checks, while Jack continued to act strange around him. Like, he offered the boy a drink on multiple occasions, each time being turned down because “celebratory drinks should be after the test, when everything goes right. Hopefully.”</p>
<p>Taking his position, Tubbo sent out the ten-minute warning before seeing a message from Tommy pop up on his communicator.</p>
<p>
  <b> Tommyinnit: Not sure what you’re doing, but when you’re done swing by the hotel. Need to collect supplies for Sam Nook so I’ll be there later. </b>
</p>
<p>Tubbo chuckled, typing out a reply.</p>
<p>
  <b> Tubbo: Awesome! You’re finally going to show me this mysterious hotel you’ve been bragging about? Aren’t I special. :D</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Tommyinnit: Shut up before I change my mind, bitch boy.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Tubbo: Sure thing. See you later!</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Tommyinnit: See you later, Big T! </b>
</p>
<p>Tubbo closed the private chat to see a message from Jack being sent out to the group chat saying that the launch had been delayed five minutes.</p>
<p>“Hey, why did you say it was delayed?” Tubbo shouted to the man on the other platform, who was shifting back and forward awkwardly with his communicator out.</p>
<p>“You looked busy texting whoever that was, so I wanted to give you more time, is all,” he replied, before going back to his own communicator. Tubbo just rolled his eyes, getting comfortable waiting for the time to go down.</p>
<p>Finally, the one-minute message was sent out and the two took their final positions.</p>
<p>“Jack, are you ready over there?” Tubbo shouted over.</p>
<p>“I think so… I lost my key card!!!”</p>
<p>“What?! You just had it on you!”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry! You know I’m clumsy! Please make me another one, I’ll give a three-minute extension in the meantime.”</p>
<p>
  <i> Oh my God, Jack. What is with you, today? </i>
</p>
<p>Tubbo raced back to the lab, swiped a spare key card he made just in case, and hurried back, making sure to hand it over before the final minute warning went out. Now they were officially ready.</p>
<p>“Get ready, Jack Manifold. When I say so, insert your key card. Here we go!” Tubbo shouted, bouncing on the balls of his feet as the clocked counted down.</p>
<p>“Three.”</p>
<p>“Two.”</p>
<p>“One.”</p>
<p>“Insert your key card!”</p>
<p>Tubbo slid his into the slot and suddenly a rush of wind tried to shove him backwards as the missile went air-born. The loud booming sound soon followed, causing Tubbo to plug his ears to try and diminish the sound. He stared in awe as the missile rose higher and higher before disappearing in the distance.</p>
<p>He knew the nuke had struck the detonation sight when a large mushroom cloud formed just over the horizon. He was almost blown off his feet from the tremors traveling through the earth, and his ears popped from a combination of both the incoming pressure and sound. Well, the nuke sure seemed to be a success.</p>
<p>“Jack! Jack, it worked!” Tubbo cheered, giddy at their success. The man on the other platform let out an excited cry. “Grab your hazmat suit and hurry to the tunnel. We have got to see this!”</p>
<p>                                                                                                                                       X</p>
<p>Tubbo hopped out of the boat, making sure to adjust his hazmat suit before exiting the tunnel. It had taken time for the two to travel to the detonation site, so by the time they arrived, the sun was already hanging in the sky.</p>
<p>He slowed as he approached the top of the stairs, cautious about the eerie silence of the world.</p>
<p>“We didn’t beat it here, did we?” Tubbo asked, turning to look at Jack with concern.</p>
<p>“Nah, I think we’re good. Besides, you saw that cloud, we’re perfectly fine. We need to go look so hurry up,” Jack replied, nudging the boy up the rest of the stairs.</p>
<p>Taking a breath, Tubbo finished the ascent and could immediately see some of the results from their experiment. A small hole was just left of the pathway leading to the detonation site. Just further ahead, he could see the edge of the crater. He didn’t doubt that there was a crater. Afterall, he was present for the fall of L’Manburg. He knew what destruction looked like.</p>
<p>“Jack! Oh my God, Jack!” Tubbo rushed forward, stopping at the edge of the crater and looked over the devastated landscape. He was completely stunned; he had no idea how successful he was going to be but this went beyond what he could’ve imagined. And this was just a prototype! With the two completed nukes, he had the fate of the entire server at his fingertips.</p>
<p>It was dangerous.</p>
<p>It was <i> enthralling </i>.</p>
<p>“Oh my God,” Tubbo repeated. “Jack, you have your suit on, right?”</p>
<p>Tubbo was met with silence, so he repeated the question. He needed to make sure his friend was safe. However, when the man again failed to reply, Tubbo turned to ask once more and saw him staring off to the side, horror etched on his face.</p>
<p>“Jack Manifold?” Tubbo slowly turned to look out where the man was looking, and his blood ran cold.</p>
<p>A bloodied body laid on the edge of the crater, burns scorched into their skin and ash coating their hair.</p>
<p>
  <i> We sent out the warnings… No one was supposed to be here! Why was someone here?! </i>
</p>
<p>His feet were moving far before his brain caught up to him, his sole focus on reaching whoever was lying prone by the crater. The crater caused by the missile he launched. That he created. Oh God, please be okay!</p>
<p>When he made it, he crouched down, careful to have his gloves on due to the intense heat radiating off the body. He rolled the body over to get a better look at whoever it was, and felt his heart leap into his throat at the sight of burns and blood covering the still face of Nikki.</p>
<p>“No… No, no, no. NO! Niki!” Tubbo screamed, trying to shake the older girl awake, desperate for any sign of life from her. “Please be okay!”</p>
<p>While death wasn’t a permanent thing on the server, it certainly had tricky rules. You could die as many times as you would like, but you only had three official canon lives. These lives were symbolized by three tattooed hearts located somewhere on the body, and would change their design if a canon life had been lost (one of the Tubbo’s three was hacked in two, another splattered to look like fireworks). Once those were gone, so were you. At first no one quite knew what happened when all three lives were taken, but now everyone knows that either the dead individual will come back as a ghost (like Wilbur) or stay dead (like Schlatt).</p>
<p>Still, it was a fate everyone wanted, and desperately tried, to avoid.</p>
<p>Tubbo fumbled with Nikki’s body, gloved-cladded hands feeling too thick, too awkward with maneuvering the woman. Finally, he located her three hearts, located on her right shoulder, and his heart sunk to see that one of the three previously pristine hearts had now exploded, leaving half a heart remaining and shards of red streaking across the skin.</p>
<p>If was official, Nikki was dead. And Tubbo was the one to take her very first canon life.</p>
<p>Tubbo stumbled backward, tremors shaking his body as his mind tried to catch up to everything that was happening. This was supposed to be a new beginning for him, for Snowchester. He didn’t want to hurt anyone. He warned them, he warned everyone so this wouldn’t happen, but Nikki’s corpse sprawled out before him showed that it didn’t matter whatsoever.</p>
<p>“Tubbo!” Jack’s voice filtered in one ear and out the other, hands on his shoulders to try and shake him out of his stupor. It took only moments for Tubbo’s eyes to focus enough on the concerned face in front of him, but it felt like hours with how slow the clarity returned to him.</p>
<p>Jack cracked a small smile at the boy, glad to see him back to reality. “That was her first canon life, right? Then she should’ve respawned by now. We should head towards the L’Manburg crater. I can message Niki to meet us there and we can find out what happened, okay. It was an accident, Tubbo, I’m sure of it. And I’m sure Niki would accept the apology…” </p>
<p>Jack’s voice trailed off, his gaze shifting to somewhere behind Tubbo, his glasses slipping enough to show a mix of horror and something else in his eyes. The boy followed it and saw another lump flung further from the edge, much too still and much too familiar.</p>
<p>Niki wasn’t the only one he killed.</p>
<p>He stumbled forward, lumbering much too slowly for his liking, wanting to rip off the hazmat suit for the hell of it if it meant he could get there faster. Why was this taking so long? It was like the world was stretching infinitely, trying to keep Tubbo away from the second body. Eventually, he made it there, and now he wished he had never even thought about trying to make Snowchester, thus needing the nukes.</p>
<p>Because then he wouldn’t be staring down at the mangled corpse of his best friend and brother.</p>
<p>“Tommy…” was all he could get out before he turned to the side and promptly threw up.</p>
<p>Tommy’s body looked as thought it had literally been caught in the explosion, because everything from the chest down had been completely evaporated. Blood and gore stained the ground, having spread as far as it could reach and now drying into the decimated earth. Tanned skin was charred black, leaving spare patches of flesh that weren’t covered in blisters and burns. Golden locks sprawled across his face, the entire thing singed or burned all the way down the skull. But what hurt the most to see were Tommy’s eyes, usually so bright and expressive, now completely dull and unseeing.</p>
<p>
  <i> Surely not. This cannot be real. </i>
</p>
<p>But reality, Tubbo has come to learn, is incredibly cruel and unforgiving.</p>
<p>A heart-broken, guttural sounding scream echoed through the air, drawing the attention of all those nearby. If they did come around to see the source, they would see the devastating scene of two boys, one sobbing and pleading while cradling the obliterated corpse of the other.</p>
<p>
  <i> Tommy was dead. The third shattered heart on the boy’s skin that matched Niki’s was proof of it. </i>
</p>
<p>                                                                                                                                       X</p>
<p>It’s been days, but time had completely lost all meaning for Tubbo, who spends all his time now lying in bed in his home in Snowchester. People have been in and out during this time, making sure he was eating, checking in on him, and offering their condolences. It seems news has already spread across the server of Tommy’s death, and a plethora of responses have been seen as a result.</p>
<p>Jack Manifold was the one who dragged him away, kicking and screaming, from the body of his best friend and to a safer spot where he wouldn’t be at risk for radiation poisoning. Captain Puffy and Sam were there, having been drawn by the boy’s cries of anguish. The three older individuals spoke briefly before Jack offered to retrieve Tommy’s body if they could get Tubbo back to the safety of Snowchester. The journey back was silence except for the sobs of a boy who had lost everything once again.</p>
<p>Niki visited later that evening, having respawned wherever she was living now and arriving to face Tubbo and Jack. The boy’s mouth went dry when she first arrived, discarding her heavy winter cloak to show the tattooed evidence of her death to the world. Tubbo listened numbly as Niki explained the tragic circumstances that led to their demise: how she and Tommy went off to collect spruce wood from the closest snow forest biome for Sam Nook, how they were so busy talking and gathering supplies that they didn’t look at their communicators, how by the time they heard the missile and saw it coming straight for them, it was already too late.</p>
<p>There was no funeral; Tubbo couldn’t bring himself to hold one, even though he should. What remained of Tommy’s body was buried within a special metal and cobblestone (his favorite material) coffin constructed by Sam and buried next to Wilbur’s near the crater of L’Manburg.</p>
<p>Tubbo was thankful for the ones who reached out and helped him, even if he couldn’t quite come out and say it. Jack Manifold for keeping their land running, Niki for baking food and making sure he wasn’t starving himself, Foolish for trying to make him laugh, and both Sam and Puffy for being the comforting parental figures he could lean on and pour his heart out to.</p>
<p>Finally, around one week after Tommy’s death, Tubbo knew what he needed to do: he needed to tell Technoblade and Philza – Tommy’s remaining family – the truth. Even if the two already knew about what happened, he figured they probably did, he needed to explain everything. He needed to apologize for his hand in their son/brother’s death, and beg for a forgiveness he knew he probably wouldn’t receive.</p>
<p>There.</p>
<p>In the distance, he could see Technoblade and Philza, their bodies wrapped in artic clothing and adorned with netherite armor. Tubbo quickened his pace to get closer, about to call out to them when he paused at the sight. The two men weren’t heading back to the snow cottage, but rather in the direction of the L’Manburg crater. The piglin hybrid glanced down at his communicator before relaying something back to Philza, though they were too far away to make out the words.</p>
<p>Grand bat-like wings stretched out from beneath Philza’s cloak, the ink-colored skin stretching between the bones shimmering like an oil spill under the direct sunlight. With a giant heave, Philza shot off into the sky, Technoblade close behind him with his handy trident.</p>
<p>Tubbo stared in shock and awe for only a moment, surprised to see the older man actually expose and use his wings for the first time. Dream always had a strict ‘no flying’ policy in the SMP, even going as far as forbidding members from entering the End in order to obtain elytras. Though, now that Dream was behind bars, there was really no sense in fearing the consequences of breaking that rule now, huh.</p>
<p>Finally, Tubbo snapped out of his stupor at the realization that the two were beginning to fly further away. He still needed to relay the message and didn’t have the patience nor nerve to wait for however long it would take for them to return. So, quickly opening his Ender chest and grabbing a stack of pearls, Tubbo rushed after them, making sure to keep them in sight without being spotted himself.</p>
<p>An hour and half a stack of pearls later, Tubbo hid behind the tree line as the two men finally landed near the bottom of a mountain. Someone stood there, decked out in full netherite, communicator out, waiting until both wings and trident were tucked away once more before approaching. The figure stopped just shy of them and pulled off their helmet, causing Tubbo’s breath to catch as he recognizes the pink hair spilling out and newly acquired scorch marks on her face.</p>
<p>Nikki.</p>
<p>
  <i> Nikki? Why were Technoblade and Philza meeting with Nikki? What on Earth was happening? </i>
</p>
<p>Confused thoughts flew around in Tubbo’s mind, leaving him dizzy and lost. This was Nikki. Sweet, kind, older sister figure Nikki. The same Nikki who comforted him as he wept in guilt over her and his best friend and baked him treats just to make sure he was eating something over the last few days. </p>
<p>The same Nikki who was now leading the two men into a hidden passageway craved into the wall of the mountain.</p>
<p>Tubbo stumbled after them, just barely conscious of his surroundings but quiet enough to sneak along after them and stay hidden. He crept down the stairs, the others’ footsteps echoing up to him and adding to the ringing in his ears. What was he doing? If he was caught, there was no way he was leaving alive. So then, why was he risking this? He knew the reasons why.</p>
<p>He needed answers, and he needed them now.</p>
<p>Slowing as he approached the bottom of the stairs, he kept hidden behind the wall, straining his ears to listen in on the conversation and praying that the answers he got would be good.</p>
<p>“So, you actually managed to get what you want?” Technoblade said, his voice echoing slightly suggesting that the room they were meeting in was pretty hollow. If Tubbo had to guess, this was probably where Nikki disappeared to after L’Manburg fell.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I guess I did,” Nikki sighed, more from relief than from exhaustion. “Though, I did find some unexpected help from Jack Manifold, which made my plan a lot easier. Sucked I had to lose a life, though.”</p>
<p>
  <i> Wait a minute. Jack Manifold? What? </i>
</p>
<p>“Interesting, interesting. Seems that we may have another potential member to talk to after this, Phil.”</p>
<p>“That’s surprising,” Philza spoke up. “I can understand your reasoning, Nikki, but why did Jack step up as well? From what I understood, they were friends.”</p>
<p>“According to Jack, both of them were equally terrible. They both went around, doing whatever they wanted and using others to meet their own selfish needs. Both had to be punished for their actions, but with Dream locked away, that only left Tommy.”</p>
<p>
  <i> Tommy?! </i>
</p>
<p>Tubbo bit down hard on his knuckle to keep from crying out. He just didn’t understand. Why were they being so casual? And if the two men already know about Tommy’s death, shouldn’t they be more upset?</p>
<p>“So, Jack told you about the test date and then what? You just so happen to get Tommy to the detonation sight,” Philza said. “Knowing Tommy, he wouldn’t have just followed you without some sort of reason.”</p>
<p>A short laugh filled the space, no longer loving and carefree, but cruel. “Well, it helped that Sam Nook happened to request collecting some spruce wood for his stupid hotel plan. With the detonation sight located within a snow forest biome, it was easy enough to drag him close enough to get caught in the crossfire. We almost didn’t make it in time, with all his ‘playful banter’, but luckily Jack was able to stall long enough. I swear, if it weren’t for the fact I didn’t want the repercussions, I would’ve stabbed him in the forest myself.”</p>
<p>“Now he’s finally gone, and I have never felt more seen.”</p>
<p>“Tommy is gone, pog!”</p>
<p>Three voices laughed happily, while Tubbo collapsed to the floor in tears.</p>
<p>
  <i> Why, Nikki? WHY?! </i>
</p>
<p>Tubbo has felt betrayal before, having been betrayed time and time again for one reason or another. But this. This, for some reason, stung harder than anything else in the past. He felt as though bombs have gone off beneath his feet, sending him plummeting down further and further away from solid ground. He had trusted Jack Manifold, both as a citizen of his new land and as a friend, and this is where it all led to? He took Tubbo’s plans for peace, albeit forced, and spun it around into a plot to kill his best friend.</p>
<p>“Well, then. About my previous offer?”</p>
<p>Technoblade’s voice cut through, briefly pulling the teen from his shattering thoughts and back to the topic at hand.</p>
<p>Nikki hummed before answering. “I have thought it over and I agree. Even with Tommy gone, I don’t think things will ever settle back to the way it was. Even Tubbo, having seen and experienced first hand the destruction caused by L’Manburg, is repeating everything again with Snowchester. I know I just met Foolish and Charlie, but I know that Tubbo is trying to get them to join his nation, and I am terrified to see what can happen to them.”</p>
<p>“Afterall, if it wasn’t for Tubbo’s new nation, there wouldn’t have been a need for the nukes, thus no need for him to cause Tommy’s death.”</p>
<p>Silence filled the space before a slow clap began, accompanied by a deep chuckle.</p>
<p>“Well then, my fellow anarchist. Welcome to the Scarlet Syndicate.”</p>
<p>Tubbo couldn’t stay there any longer. He scrambled back up the stairs, not even bothering to try and stay quiet. They wouldn’t have even heard him anyways, what with the cheering and laughter that followed him up and out of the mountain. He burst out of the stairwell and wildly flung a pearl in some direction. He didn’t know where he threw it or where it will land, he just needed to get out of there. He needed to breath, but even the fresh mountain air seemed unable to fill his aching lungs. His vision was blurred, and he hardly flinched when he landed awkwardly on a tree branch that snapped and sent him falling to the floor.</p>
<p>Tubbo laid there stunned, hyperventilating, tears streaming down with no end in sight. He struggled to remember the technique that he used before to calm Tommy down in the past, the same one that the blond had used back when Tubbo had a panic attack after his execution. He couldn’t think about anything but the guilt of his best friend’s death, and the betrayal of the last two people he thought he trusted on this server.</p>
<p>By the time Tubbo was calm enough to get up, night had fallen and mobs had already begun to spawn. Zombie groans and rattling bones filled the air, the hissing sounds of creepers causing him to flinch hard at the memories that have plagued him for the last week. Still, he didn’t exactly want to die out here, and grabbed his sword to begin cutting his way back home.</p>
<p>                                                                                                                                       X</p>
<p>A few days have passed since the reveal of the true cause of Tommy’s death, and Tubbo had officially broken. He locked himself away in the laboratory, staring at the two remaining missiles, that fateful day playing on loop in his mind like a broken record.</p>
<p>The one time he ran into Jack Manifold since returning back to Snowchester he fought back the wave of anger, confusion, and sorrow to give him a few clipped answers before retreating to the shelter of his laboratory. A couple of people had tried reaching out to him, but his communicator was broken after he had thrown it at a wall in order to stop the wave of fake concern from his once-called ‘friends.’</p>
<p>
  <i> I can’t trust anyone. They all played a role in Tommy’s death, one way or another. </i>
</p>
<p>Tubbo’s thoughts spiraled further and further, planting blame on anyone and everyone. He cursed Wilbur for dragging him into the very first war of many. He cursed those who made Schlatt president and placed him in an unescapable position. He cursed those who stood aside and allowed his execution. He cursed those who held him up to impossible standards when he was forced to become president. He cursed bending to the wills of others during that short period of time: Quackity, Fundy, Dream. He cursed not believing his best friend about the destruction of the community house, ultimately leading him to hand over the sole item that stood between them and L’Manburg’s demise.</p>
<p>Most importantly, he cursed himself for not dying that night to Dream, because it would’ve meant that at least Tommy would still be alive.</p>
<p>Staring hopelessly up at the last two remaining symbols of his destructive power, Tubbo made a decision. A pretty dumb one, but then again, he was just a kid.</p>
<p>A kid forced to grow up too fast, and ready to finally let it end.</p>
<p>
  <i> Let’s make Wilbur and Tommy proud. </i>
</p>
<p>                                                                                                                                        X</p>
<p>Dream sat in the corner of his cell, watching the clock on the wall with disinterest. Ever since the unfortunate death of his favorite plaything, he was admittedly bored.</p>
<p>The last visit he received was when Sam came a week prior to inform Dream of the death of Tommyinnit.</p>
<p>
  <i> After Sam was done recounting the tragic tale of Tommy and the nukes, Dream couldn’t help but burst into laughter. He was straight up wheezing, his throat quickly going dry due to the limited access to water he had. Sam watched as Dream cackled at the news, the mask betraying no emotion but the tightening of his grip on his sword evidence enough of how the man truly felt.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>“This is absolutely perfect! I didn’t even have to kill Tubbo to win. While I may have lost Tommy, him being gone was ultimately my final goal. I would’ve preferred him to be locked in here instead of me, because he had many more uses alive, but I still see this as a victory. And the best part is, Tubbo was the one to pull the trigger, whether it was intentional or not! I can already see the descriptions on their gravestones, ‘best friends even through death.’” Dream laughed.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>“What makes you think Tubbo’s going to die?” Sam questioned, grip tensing further.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>“He was already ready to die that night, ready to hand his life over for his friend’s. That boy has always been and forever will be a pawn, that’s his unescapable fate. And now with Tommy dead, he will not be far behind.” Dream folded his hands behind his head and leaned back against the wall, the mask shielding Sam from seeing the satisfied smirk on his lip. “They were always at checkmate, and I would always emerge victorious.”</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Sam left shortly after this, no longer wishing to hang around the howls of a mad man. </i>
</p>
<p>Dream felt it first, the rumbling across the land that climbed its way through the prison. The walls shook with tremendous force, causing cracks to form in the walls and floor. He laid their unperturbed, only slightly lifting his head when he heard a roaring sound that ripped through the sky and surrounded all around him.</p>
<p>If he listened, he could make out the screams of terror from those across the server, and the small, almost silent shouts of triumph from a deranged child broken beyond repair.</p>
<p>The ceiling of his prison crashed down around him, allowing him one final look at the world outside his cell, and all he could see were two twin mushroom clouds on opposite horizons that scorched his land with hellfire. With one last sigh, he sat there as his server crashed and burned down around him, muttering his final words before he himself ultimately blew up alongside his world.</p>
<p>“It was never meant to be.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>And that's a wrap!</p>
<p>I have been reading fanfictions in this fandom for about a month now and have been looking for the chance to get myself in on the action. This fanfiction was an idea I had a few days before the 26th, but I started writing it after watching the stream. It took a few days, but it's done and I'm so happy!</p>
<p>A few things I would like to note:<br/>- I gave Philza bat wings instead of bird/angel-like wings because I thought, why not?<br/>- The idea for the three tattooed hearts came from a YouTube video "Three Canon Deaths - Tubbo [Dream SMP Animatic]" by Scorpia, which I highly recommend watching the series.<br/>- I apologize if some of the characters seem a little OOC, but I tried my best. Practice makes perfect, you know.</p>
<p>Thank you all for reading! :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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